Reflection for Sunday, September 16, 2018 – Mark 8:27-38

Schmidtetter

This section of Mark’s Gospel is in many ways a turning point in the text. Up until this moment, the true identity of Jesus seems to be elusive to those most associated with him; the disciples, the religious leaders, and the crowds. “They have been slow of understanding and hard of heart” (Edwards, 245).  Yet, that all seems to change in Mark 8, where we find Peter’s bold declaration, “You are the Christ”.  It is one of those moments in scripture and in Peter’s life where we clearly see victory; Peter finally gets it!  Yet, if you read further along in the text, you will see that this grand moment of victory is quickly followed by an equally grand moment of failure in verse 32; when Peter rebukes Jesus and is subsequently rebuked by Jesus, the famous “Get behind me, Satan!” In this short reading, we see both the highs and lows of Peter the disciple.

This is one aspect of Peter that makes him such a beloved figure to so many of us. Looking at his life and ministry is a bit like looking in a mirror. We relate to Peter in all his victories and failures. We fondly remember our own victories and are painfully aware of our own failures and the simultaneous existence of both tends to cause conflict within us. We begin to question ourselves, to doubt our growth, our righteousness, and perhaps even our calling. Yet, Peter stands there as an archetype for all that are in Christ. He reminds us of the messiness of sanctification, the messiness of being broken and yet, at the same time, being perfected. In essence, he reminds us that the Christian life is not a steady incline, but rather a series of victories and failures. That on any given day, we who are disciples in Christ, may both celebrate victories of righteousness and mourn sinful failures.

We see this throughout the Bible. In the Old Testament, in the lives of Abraham, Noah, Moses, David, and in the New Testament with the disciples, especially Peter, and there is no bigger illustration of this than Mark 8. As we look at this passage, we would do well to remember that the messiness of our own spiritual life is not only normal, but actually a necessary part of being perfected in Christ.

– The Rev. Todd Schmidtetter is rector of Holy Apostles Episcopal Church, Satellite Beach, FL